This is difficult

[krashleen]

Thanks for all your responses. I am rather embarassed about this. I took my post down...due to some unwanted PM's.

[Pharmacist.steve]

There are a number of entities that will do financial assistance on various things ... American Red Cross ... Salvation Army ... County Trustee.... various religious groups.... there is the PAP (Patient Assistance Programs) http://www.phrma.org/
with various drug companies.. Docs may be able to get some samples directly from the Reps.. in the short term or some coupon/vouchers to pay for the drugs. same drugs or similar drugs..
If you are a senior there is probably a local "council on aging" that can point you in a directions
You might contact the social worker at the local hospital.
Just contacting one-two entities may lead you to other possibilities
good luck

[Mark N]

Krashleen, sorry you are in this situation. I am glad Steve got on here to help you out and give you some places to turn. Good luck with your search and I hope things turn around soon.

[krashleen]

I am a little more hopeful..there is more info on that website. There is assistance through orphan diseases which I have. I sent them an email. This is a one time thing.
Things finally caught up with us. The job my hubby has is incredibly slow and we thought we would have a check by now.

Now I have a chiari HA and getting a migraine.

Steve, Thank you for the website, even though I don't think we qualify, there is some other orgs that I *hope* will assist for this month.

We normally have a buffer, but that buffer is gone. CP and self-employment doesn't go together well.

Any other ideas I welcome.
Also, could I go to percocets?

[BrokenBladder]

Krashleen,

Okay here's the problem with Percs. They're a b/t med and therefore you would need to take them everything 4-6 hours and it would probably be 4 hours. Without a baseline pain med, like your Oxy, you will have spikes in your pain and it will be hard for you to control.
My suggestion would be that if you can't find any help throught the websites that Steve gave your or through your doctor then explain to your doctor what your situation is at least for this month. Maybe he can give you something else that would be cheaper and then put you back on Oxy when you feel it's affordable again.
I'm sorry that you're going through this. I know how expensive the Oxy's are as I take them also but at a much higher dose. It's a wonderful med but it's very expensive even with med coverage.
Good luck to you and please talk to your doctor so that you don't have to suffer through this.

[MamaRider]

Evwn tho PapaRider doespretty darn good money-wise.=, living is SOCAl is expensive (and having DaughterRider at home with No insurance is rough)> So from tme to time we run short.We aregreat freinds with our local Pawn shop. My gold goes in and out of Pawn regularly, it seems. And,with the price of gold,and silver getting so high, each time I have to put in less to get more $$$ it seems. Just a thought. Alos ood items topawn are guns, late model cameras, and electronics. The great thing about Pawning them is you can get them back. If you cannot afford to get them back when they come due you can just "roll them over" for a smaller amount than what the loan amount is. Also, we have "Pay-Day Loans" out here.We can borrow $255.00 for two weeks and pay a check for $300.00 to get it. They hold it till your pay day. You can also roll that loan for the amount it takes (the difference of $255 to $300--but you have to have he full $300) But hey it helps. Ya know?! These things help tide us over. We are able to BOTH take out Pay Day loans so that really helps.

[debhun]

I called PAP and they didn't ask any thing about how much money we made. I would give them a call. But now they take up to 3 weeks to get your meds going. Your pain meds will bee sent to PM and the rest to your home. But call them. I am in the same boat but hubby is only making 8.75 a hour. Rob peter to pay paul.

Deb

[whitfield]

Don't know if this info will help you, but I think the least expensive Long Acting medicine is Methadone and generic roxicodone is also very inexpensive for breakthrough pain--maybe your doc will let you try them while you are in this situation. Just a thought--I wish you the best--Roger

[Peter B]

Krash,
The only thing I can think of is if at all possible, maybe your doc can switch you over to Methadone. Back in the day, when I was at my worst I was taking 160 mgs. q 8. If memory serves me correctly my 10 day script only cost me $55.00. Obviously you wont need that much but it gives you an idea of how inexpensive it is.
Just a thought.

Pain free days,
Pete

[krashleen]

Its horrible what chronic pain does to a person's lifestyle.

[Rozia]

what about your disability ????? You are not making sense. I know your Medicare hasnt kicked in . There are several Prescription programs available . I will get back to you with some.

[krashleen]

My medicare doesn't start until August 2008.

I was approved first pass. I am not old enough, nor does our taxes reflect being able to show little money to pay. We exceed the maximum earnings..doesn't take much. Our insurance premiums are 680 a month. And now it doesn't cover my meds. The insurance is nothing better than a discount plan. I am p/o'd

Sorry...
Also, thanks to everyone for their kind thoughts. I appreciate them. I think I have things figured out. My kids who we have loaned THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS through the last two years are coming through with some payback. Bout time.

[krashleen]

what about your disability ????? You are not making sense. I know your Medicare hasnt kicked in . There are several Prescription programs available . I will get back to you with some.

Roz, I have investigated till my fingers are numb. All have either restrictions on income, or I don't qualify. I even found NORD, but my condition doesn't qualify.
If someone else has this problem I would recommend that they ask for perhaps one week fill, then another script in a week if they know that they are going to have money shortly..especially if they are out of pocket.

My zonegran, even the generic is expensive!

[Rozia]

Have you been to this site ?
http://www.cms.hhs.gov/

WOW so sorry things are rough. I will contact my cousin who is a disabilty advocate in Arkansas and she what she says .

she said try this site :
http://www.needymeds.com/state_programs.taf?_function=list&state=az

[krashleen]

They all go by last years tax return, which rules us out.

Too bad, eh?
Things can change for a person in a few months time.

[Pharmacist.steve]

They all go by last years tax return, which rules us out.

Too bad, eh?
Things can change for a person in a few months time.

The PAP's will ( or can) go by current numbers... but you might have to ask

[krashleen]

I was turned down by pfizer pfriends for the relpax.
I will try Purdue pharma tomorrow. Worth a shot. Oh and the zonegran does go by the last year's tax return.

Thanks Steve.

[Gimpy]

Please don't feel badly about your current situation. It can, and DOES, happen to most of us at one time or the other. When my daughter was a baby with severe asthma I would call the respiratory departments of local hospitals and beg for medications for my baby. It was horrible and degrading. But, it's only wrong or bad if it doesn't bother you and you do it repeatedly. You have nothing to hang your head about, so pick it up and face the world head on.

Hang in there!

Gimpy

[Bobbi]

Gimpy is right! So there :).

[Pharmacist.steve]

I was turned down by pfizer pfriends for the relpax.
I will try Purdue pharma tomorrow. Worth a shot. Oh and the zonegran does go by the last year's tax return.

Thanks Steve.

Have you talked to your doc about requesting samples from the company.. One of the docs in the mental health clinic where I work is always coming to me to get specific samples. I had to call a company today - that I never heard of - to get him samples of a orphan drug - that I never hear of... NOT A PROBLEM ... all they wanted to do verify his license - on line .. and they were going to mail him... sample request cards... If he can get samples of a "orphan drug"... any samples should be readily available.

[krashleen]

I go in and get samples of the relpax however I don't think they get the samples of oxycontin..at least they aren't sharing!
I have the 50 dollar off coupon for the brand oxycontin, but I am still able to get the Watson generic in the dosage I take.


Its the zonegran that I really need help with, and they shot me down today.

I guess I will find out about the Purdue program tomorrow...
I see the drug reps at their office pretty often, so I know that they are there and promoting their wares.

[Bobbi]

I just noticed the following, which might help, posted at the SD (Spinal Disorders) forum:

http://brain.hastypastry.net/forums/showthread.php?t=22865

[Rozia]

Sorry to bring this up but are you a member of aarp yet. You can be 50 yrs . dont remember how old you are . they have some programs too.

http://www.aarp.org/bulletin/prescription/statebystate.html